Armed Forces Pay Review Body

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with (a) Ministers and (b) officials in the Ministry of Defence on his decision not to reappoint Professor Alasdair Smith as Chairperson of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body.

David Cameron: Sir Alasdair Smith was appointed Chairman of the Armed Forces' Pay Review Body for a three-year period. That has come to an end. The decision not to reappoint reflects a Government-wide policy of non-automatic reappointment to public bodies.

Biofuels

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the total value is of Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation certificates that have been awarded for using waste derived from biomethane in each year since 2006;
	(2)  what recent assessment his Department has made of the available supply of waste derived from biomethane for use by the transport sector;
	(3)  what recent assessment his Department has made of the use of liquefied biomethane by the transport sector;
	(4)  what proportion of the UK supply of waste derived from biomethane was used (a) by the energy sector for electricity generation and (b) as a transport fuel in each of the last five years.

Norman Baker: The Government recognises the potential of biomethane made from waste as a transport fuel. Both when it is compressed and when it is liquefied, biomethane consistently demonstrates some of highest carbon savings of any renewable transport fuel.
	The Government's Anaerobic Digestion Strategy and Action Plan
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/anaerobic-digestion-strat-action-plan.pdf
	highlighted the need to build a robust evidence base using longer term research and experience, and a detailed analysis to understand the barriers that currently restrict the use of biomethane as a transport fuel. As part of that work the Department for Transport launched the Low Carbon Truck Demonstration Trial in March 2012 to help operators establish and run fleets of alternative and dual-fuel HGVs and part-fund public refuelling hubs.
	The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) scheme, which has been in operation since 2008, incorporates a certificate trading mechanism designed to increase the efficiency of compliance. Since December 2011, following UK implementation of the sustainability criteria for transport biofuels in the EU Renewable Energy Directive, biomethane derived from waste which meets mandatory sustainability criteria receives two Renewable Transport Fuel Certificates (RTFCs) per kg of biogas reported, double the amount for crop based biofuels.
	The value of RTFCs is determined by the market. Whilst the Government monitors the value at which RTFCs are traded generally, market prices fluctuate and the Government does not hold information on the value of specific trades. This information is not required from third parties for the purpose of administering the scheme.
	Biogas is eligible to receive RTFCs and volumes are reported under the RTFO. All biogas reported to date has been biomethane. RTFO Obligation years run 15 to 14 April and Table 1 below sets out verified data reported on the supply of biomethane by kilogram as reported and expressed in terms of tonnes of oil equivalent, so that the reported RTFO volumes can be compared with the figures for biogas used in electricity and heat in Table 2.
	
		
			 Table 1: Biomethane (Biogas) kilograms reported under the RTFO 
			  Obligation year 
			 Used in road transport 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Biomethane (Biogas) 415,700 195,797 428,207 723,135 
			 Thousand tonnes of oil equivalent 0.395 0.186 0.407 0.687 
		
	
	Of this data, 330,218 kg of biogas was reported between December 2011 and April 2012 as coming from municipal waste and was therefore eligible to receive two certificates per kg. In addition between April and October 2012, 577,873 kg of biogas was reported, all of which was derived from municipal waste(1).
	Most biogas from landfill and the anaerobic digestion of food waste, sewage sludge and other organic wastes is burnt to produce electricity and heat. Energy generated from biomethane is not classified separately and cannot be distinguished from energy generated from biogas. We expect that only a small amount of biogas is upgraded to biomethane and injected into the national gas grid. Table 2 as follows, drawn from the Department of Energy and Climate Change's Digest of UK Energy Statistics (2012 edition) illustrates the biogas volumes being used in heat and electricity in the last five years for which data is available.
	
		
			 Table 2: Biogas used to generate heat and electricity, thousand tonnes of oil equivalent 
			  2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 Used to generate electricity      
			 Landfill gas 1,533.9 1,560.3 1,624.2 1,644.5 1,633.1 
			 Sewage sludge digestion 161.9 174.4 196.1 228.8 247.6 
			 Anaerobic digestion 4.9 4.2 9.7 30.3 78.5 
			       
			 Used to generate heat      
			 Landfill gas 13.6 13.6 13.6 13.6 13.6 
			 Sewage sludge digestion 49.5 49.8 51.0 57.8 66.1 
			 Anaerobic digestion 2.0 2.0 2.0 4.8 9.8 
			       
			 Total Biogas 1,765.8 1,804.3 1896.6 1,979.8 2,048.7 
			 Source: Digest of UK Energy Statistics, 2012 edition which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/renewable-sources-of-energy-chapter-6-digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes 
		
	
	It is expected that there will be an increase in the availability of biogas from anaerobic digestion. Whilst there were 54 plants in mid 2011, now there are 106 anaerobic digestion plants (and about 150 dealing with sewage sludge). The Government estimated in the Anaerobic Digestion Strategy and Action Plan that about 5 million tonnes of food waste might be available for anaerobic digestion by 2020. The Department of Energy and Climate Change review of the generation costs and deployment potential of renewable electricity technologies in the UK estimated that the current feedstock for anaerobic digestion in the sewage sector is 1.37 million tonnes dry solids. (Estimates for sewage and landfill gas are available at
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/42843/3237-cons-ro-banding-arup-report.pdf)
	(1 )Department for Transport Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation statistics:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-transport/series/biofuels-statistics

Biofuels

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment his Department has made of the financial incentives available per unit of biomethane if utilised for (a) electricity generation through the Renewables Obligation, (b) electricity generation through feed-in tariffs and (c) transport through the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation.

Gregory Barker: Biomethane is almost pure methane which is obtained by cleaning up the biogas generated by anaerobic digestion (AD). Biomethane is typically used to generate heat or as a transport fuel. It is not typically used to generate electricity because it is much cheaper to generate electricity directly from the biogas. However, if a generator wished to use biomethane for electricity generation, such generation would be eligible for support under the relevant AD band in the renewables obligation (RO) and AD tariff in the feed-in tariff (FIT) scheme. The incentives available through the RO and FIT for AD electricity generation have been revised following comprehensive reviews of those two schemes. The details were published in July 2012(1). DECC has not assessed the availability of support for biomethane under the renewable transport fuel obligation (RTFO) as responsibility for that schemes rests with the Department for Transport.
	(1)https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/supporting-large-scale-renewable-electricity-generation
	https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/tariffs-for-non-pv-technologies-comprehensive-review-phase-2b

Energy: Billing

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average household energy bill was in each region of the UK in each year for which figures are available.

Gregory Barker: DECC publishes data on average gas and electricity bills in major towns and cities in its Quarterly Energy Prices publication, in table 2.2.3 (electricity) and 2.3.3 (gas). These tables can be found at the following link, with data going back as far as 1998:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/annual-domestic-energy-price-statistics
	These are based on assumed consumption levels of 3,300 kWh per year of electricity, and 18,O00 kWh per year of gas. Data is collected by Public Electricity Supply (PES) region for electricity and Local Distribution Zone (LDZ) for gas. However, because these differ in coverage, data are reported for a major town/city within the area.

Energy: Competition

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many customers switched energy supplier in each (a) local authority area and (b) region in each of the last three years.

Gregory Barker: DECC does not hold data on the number of customers that have switched supplier in each local authority and region. DECC does, however, publish data on the total number of switches of gas and electricity supplier on a quarterly basis. This can be found in table 2.7.1 of the “Quarterly Energy Prices” publication. This table can be found here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/quarterly-domestic-energy-switching-statistics
	DECC also publishes data on the proportion of customers in each region that are no longer with their home supplier (i.e. have switched away since the market opened up). This can be found in tables 2.4.1 (electricity) and 2.5.1 (gas) of the “Quarterly Energy Prices” publication:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/quarterly-domestic-energy-price-stastics

Natural Resources

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what work his Department is undertaking on resource depletion and its implications for climate change and growth.

John Hayes: DECC's analysis of its policies and future energy market trends is underpinned by projections for the prices of oil, gas and coal:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-energy-climate-change/series/fossil-fuel-price-projections
	These projections are updated annually and take into account future availability of these resources based on potential trends in global supply and demand. DECC has also published (jointly with DFT and DEFRA) a UK Bioenergy Strategy which considers the future availability of bioenergy resources to the UK:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/48337/5142-bioenergy-strategy-.pdf

Office for Unconventional Gas and Oil

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Office for Unconventional Gas and Oil maintains dialogue with people in those areas proposed for shale gas development.

John Hayes: The new Office of Unconventional Gas and Oil (OUGO) within DECC will join up responsibilities across Government, provide a single point of contact for investors, and ensure a streamlined regulatory process. Active engagement with all stakeholders, including local communities in the areas which may be proposed for shale gas development, will be central to its role. The remit of the new Office, which we announced on 20 March:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/policy-teams/office-of-unconventional-gas-and-oil-ougo
	emphasises that among the objectives of the Office will be supporting public engagement, helping people understand the facts about unconventional gas and oil and what it could mean in their area; and supporting local authorities, helping them to engage with the local community, resolve issues and ensure that projects are able to move forward, where appropriate.
	The new Office will help us to ensure that we can make the most of our natural resources, whilst protecting the environment, safeguarding the public and ensuring local communities feel some benefit from hosting developments. As announced today, it will bring forward proposals by the summer to ensure people benefit from shale gas production if there are future developments in their area.

Business: Government Assistance

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effects of the Enterprise Guarantee Scheme on lending to small and medium-sized enterprises.

Michael Fallon: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills appointed independent researchers from the Durham Business School to conduct an economic evaluation of the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme (EFG).
	The research published in February, shows that EFG is successful in helping credit constrained small and medium size enterprises obtain finance. The key findings are that:
	Since May 2010 over 10,700 businesses have been offered loans with a total value of £1.1 billion.
	83% of all EFG loans are finance additional (i.e. there were no alternative sources of funding available) indicating the scheme is well targeted.
	Overall EFG has benefited the economy by over £1.1 billion (net of costs) over the first years of operation.
	Businesses in receipt of EFG loans have created 6,500 additional jobs and saved 12,400 jobs.
	For every £1 it costs the Government to operate the scheme, there are economic benefits of £33.50 because EFG leverages in private sector cost.
	The full report is available on the gov.uk website at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/enterprise-finance-guarantee-efg-scheme-economic-evaluation

Fines: Surcharges

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how much was collected in victim surcharge fines in (a) the year in which the fine was imposed and (b) the year which the fine was paid in full in each year since 2007;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of people who were ordered to pay a victim surcharge fine in each year since 2007 have (a)  paid it in full, (b) paid part of it and (c) not paid any part of it;
	(3)  how much is owed in victim surcharges from (a) fines levied in 2012, (b) fines levied before 1 January 2010 and (c) since that scheme began;
	(4)  how many people were ordered to pay a victim surcharge in each year since 2007;
	(5)  what the total value of all victim surcharge fines levied was in each year since 2007;
	(6)  what proportion of people ordered to pay a victim surcharge in each year since 2007 were under 18 years old; and what proportion of such people have paid the fine in full to date.

Helen Grant: Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has collected victim surcharge totalling £41.2million since 2007. HMCTS does everything in its power to trace offenders who do not pay. This includes taking deductions from their benefits or earnings and seizing property. HMCTS is also seeking a commercial partner to help seize even more uncollected cash as part of a new crackdown on fine evaders.
	HMCTS systems cannot identify how many people have been ordered to pay victim surcharge or what the age profile etc is of those ordered to pay it and can only identify the value imposed and collected. HMCTS's performance database only identifies separate amounts imposed and collected for victim surcharge from other financial impositions for impositions and collections from April 2011 onwards. Set out in the following tables are the values of victim surcharge imposed and collected from April 2011.
	Amounts collected regardless of imposition date:
	
		
			 Amount collected in year relating to impositions from current or previous years 
			  £ 
			 April 2011 to March 2012 10,281,567 
			 April 2012 to February 2013 9,392,162 
		
	
	Amounts imposed, collected, cancelled and outstanding relating to impositions from April 2011:
	
		
			 £ 
			  Value of victim surcharge: 
			  Imposed Collected by end of February 2013 Cancelled by end of February 2013 Outstanding by end of February 2013 
			 April 2011 to March 2012 12,293,089 8,724,576 1,172,369 2,396,144 
			 April 2012 to February 2013 13,502,429 6,590,632 766,450 6,145,346 
		
	
	The above outstanding balances include money that is being paid in instalments and is not yet paid in full as well as fines that are not yet due for payment.
	The figures above are taken from the HMCTS performance database. Due to the way the reports operate it is only possible to show the data as at the end of the last calendar month.
	The figures above are taken from the HMCTS Libra Management Information System.